This invention relates to structures for human habitation, and more particularly, to a compact, portable sleeping unit.
Throughout history, many different structures have been built for human habitation. Structural design and integrity, size, cost, and mobility are some of the factors which vary among the numerous types of structures suitable for human habitation. For example, structures can range from very expensive and large inner-city apartment buildings to standard suburban one or two story brick or frame houses to canvas tents.
Some human habitable structures are relatively compact in size and inexpensive. Examples of such compact habitable structures include private births in railroad cars or cot-sized, coin operated sleeping compartments in airports.
Frequently, temporary structures are required to accommodate disaster victims, refugees, injured or sick people, or homeless people. Optimally, such structures should offer privacy, safety, security, cleanliness and be inexpensively manufactured, portable and quickly and easily erected. Very often, open communal shelters located in huge halls, gymnasiums or other open spaces are used to accommodate large numbers of people. However, the accommodations in such halls or gymnasiums do not offer the occupants privacy, security, or adequately comfortable living or sleeping arrangements. In other settings, tents or like structures are often used in refugee camps, penal institutions, migrant work farms or the like. However, tents also do not provide for adequate security and are preferably used only in clement weather conditions.
As evidenced from the above discussion, there is a need for a structure capable of human habitation which is safe, secure, private, portable, inexpensive, clean and readily adaptable for a variety of uses and conditions.